Fragrance comparison

Cuba Gold vs Essencial Desejos

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 8 Oct 2026 3,135 ratings analysed

Cuba Gold

Cuba Paris

3.863,061 votes

Rank #24,960 LavenderVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

14%scent match

Clearly different

4 wins

Essencial Desejos

Natura · 2025

4.1974 votes

Rank #27,801 CitrusFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Essencial Desejos takes 4 of 7 categories.

Cuba Gold
Choose it for a lavender and vanilla character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Essencial Desejos
Choose it for a citrus and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Cuba Gold2/7

Essencial Desejos4/7

Ratings & consensus: Essencial Desejos
Community sentiment: Tie
Longevity: Essencial Desejos
Sillage & projection: Essencial Desejos
Value for money: Cuba Gold
Versatility: Essencial Desejos
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Cuba Gold

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

Cuba GoldCuba Paris

Essencial DesejosNatura

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.86/ 5 · 3,061 votes

Have 71%Had 29%Want 0%

4.19/ 5 · 74 votes

Have 59%Had 3%Want 38%

Category winnerEssencial DesejosRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

25%Love

52%Like

10%Ok

11%Dislike

2%Hate

3,061 votes

38%Love

37%Like

14%Ok

8%Dislike

3%Hate

73 votes

Category winnerTieMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate71

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityEssencial Desejos

SillageEssencial Desejos

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value92

¤ Price value43

Category winnerCuba GoldBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

lavender100%

vanilla92%

aromatic84%

amber77%

sweet69%

woody61%

citrus100%

fresh spicy69%

aromatic38%

Scent match14%Clearly different · both aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top

Pink PepperGrapefruit

Heart

LavenderVetiver

Base

VanillaAmberTonka Bean

Top

BergamotGinRosemaryJuniperBasilOrangeLavenderNutmeg

Heart

RoseLily of the ValleyJasmineParamelaVioletDavana

Base

CedarMossMuskVetiverPatchouliSandalwoodVanillaAmber

InformationalShared notesLavender, Vetiver, Vanilla and Amber. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring64

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer54

Fall97

Winter60

Day100

Night83

Category winnerEssencial DesejosMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men90

Unisex9

Women1

Men96

Unisex4

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#24,960

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#27,801

PerfumerDomitille Michalon Bertier, Verônica Kato

Launched2025

Reviews0

Category winnerCuba GoldHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Cuba Gold opens with a zesty flick of pink pepper and tart grapefruit that quickly settles into clean French lavender. Smooth vanilla, warm tonka bean, and golden amber round out the base, giving off the comforting, freshly groomed feel of a traditional neighborhood barbershop. It smells relaxed, warm, and approachabl…

Reviews →

Essencial Desejos by Natura is a festive woody fragrance for men featuring a prominent gin-inspired accord. It pairs the aromatic sharpness of juniper and priprioca with a creamy sandalwood base, creating an elegant scent suitable for year-end holiday celebrations. This 2025 release provides a striking, luminous trail…

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Cuba Gold or Essencial Desejos?

Essencial Desejos takes 4 of 7 categories. Cuba Gold is rated 3.86/5 from 3,061 votes; Essencial Desejos is rated 4.19/5 from 74 votes. Choose Cuba Gold for a lavender and vanilla character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose Essencial Desejos for a citrus and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Cuba Gold or Essencial Desejos?

Essencial Desejos lasts longest (Essencial Desejos 70/100, Cuba Gold 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Cuba Gold or Essencial Desejos?

Essencial Desejos projects furthest (Essencial Desejos 55/100, Cuba Gold 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Cuba Gold and Essencial Desejos smell similar?

Clearly different: a 14% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic accords. Common notes include Lavender, Vetiver, Vanilla and Amber.

Is Cuba Gold or Essencial Desejos better for summer or winter?

For summer, Essencial Desejos is the stronger pick. For winter, Cuba Gold is the stronger pick. Essencial Desejos suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Cuba Gold and Essencial Desejos?

Cuba Gold has top notes of Pink Pepper and Grapefruit, heart notes of Lavender and Vetiver, a base of Vanilla, Amber and Tonka Bean. Essencial Desejos has top notes of Bergamot, Gin, Rosemary and Juniper, heart notes of Rose, Lily of the Valley, Jasmine and Paramela, a base of Cedar, Moss, Musk and Vetiver.